It is not so easy to answer the question of how rabbits talk. But surely all wildlife lovers are interested to know how these animals communicate. Our article will help you figure it out.
What does the hare say?
Often, how small rabbits talk, ask small children. The parent will easily explain that the cows moo, the hens cackle, the cats meow. But what about the runaway bunny that so often appears in children's tales and rhymes?
We will try to find the answer to the question in children's literature. According to the version of Korney Ivanovich Chukovsky, hares burst:
lying under the cabbage, gouging like a hare.
This is how you can answer a curious baby. Moreover, dictionaries agree with this version.
Ways of communication
But for those who have come out of childhood, such an answer is clearly not enough. But not every citizen in his entire life manages to at least once hear how rabbits communicate in the forest.
These animals are quite silent, but they should not be considered completely dumb. Eared ones can not only grumble while chewing food, but also scream quite loudly. However, they often use stamping, patting, as well as special smells corresponding to different cases.
Selfless drummer
Up to a certain point, it was believed that hares kick on the ground with fear or pleasure. But the French scientist Pierre Bidelas found that drummers play the role of signalmen. Seeing the predator, they begin to furiously beat the ground with their hind legs, warning relatives. The drummer himself, so eagerly attracting the attention of a kite, is very likely to become his victim, but his relatives manage to escape.
The scientist believes that this is how hares communicate with each other at the moment of danger in order to preserve populations. The rumble created by hitting the ground can be compared with the sounds of a tom-tom, with which many archaic tribes transmitted signals to each other. The hares hear this sound better and further than the cries of their relatives.
Hares talk by beating on the ground (as well as on stumps, logs and other objects) and during the mating season. Noise, they simply attract the attention of relatives, hoping to quickly find a couple.
Hare cry
Hunters can tell how these animals shout. According to them, only wounded animals that are about to die can make such heartbreaking sounds full of horror and pain.
The screams emitted by the hare resemble either the invocation of the cat, or the cry of an infant. Young hares have a higher voice than old ones. But the volume is quite large almost always.
The sound attracts not only relatives, but also many predators. Hunters use decoys that mimic hare cries to lure foxes and wolves.
In calm conditions, these animals do not talk. Hares are very careful, and therefore do not make noise without unnecessary need. Tapping and mutual sniffing are usually enough for them to communicate.
But their relatives - domestic rabbits - can be quite chatty. Moreover, different breeds are characterized by unequal talkativeness. The rabbit's screams are like hare, but rarely are as piercing and loud.